Mar 25, 2014

08:22 AM

Ted Kennedy Jr. May Run for Connecticut State Senate Seat

Ted Kennedy Jr. will decide within two weeks whether to run for State Senate in the 12th District, a seat being vacated by state Sen. Edward Meyer, D-Guilford.

In a statement issued Monday afternoon, Kennedy thanked Meyer “for his outstanding service … and for the exceptional work that he has done for the entire state of Connecticut.”

“Through dedication, keen intellect and personal commitment to constituent services, Ed has given us a stronger state, especially in the areas of public safety, economic development and environmental protection

A Branford resident, Kennedy said, “I have been encouraged by many friends and civic leaders to consider running for the 12th Senate District seat. I intend to seriously evaluate this opportunity for public service, and to discuss it with my family, close friends and leaders throughout the district. I will make a final decision within the next two weeks.”

Meyer, 79, announced earlier Monday that he plans to step down after this current term and said he hoped Kennedy would run for his seat, so he would “be succeeded by someone who will be a real star if he gets elected.

Kennedy, son of the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, is nephew of President John F. Kennedy and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy of New York.

He is founder and president of the Marwood Group, a health care consulting firm based in New York. His wife, Dr. Katherine “Kiki” Kennedy, is a psychiatrist and instructor at the Yale School of Medicine.

It was Robert Kennedy who launched Meyer into public service when he appointed him as a federal prosecutor in 1964, Meyer said in a release.